Azerbaijani Plane Crash Reveals Holes in Fuselage After Incident Over Russia

On December 25, 2024, an Azerbaijan Airlines plane, en route from Baku to Grozny in southern Russia, crashed in Kazakhstan after being diverted, with the incident claiming the lives of 38 individuals. A week later, on February 4, 2025, a detailed report emerged, revealing that the aircraft was extensively damaged, with its fuselage riddled with holes, suggesting an external impact that was not consistent with the initially speculated bird strike. The plane, identified as an Embraer E190, was forced to make an emergency landing near the city of Aktau in Kazakhstan after it had crossed the Caspian Sea following a deviation from its planned route. The initial causes attributed to the crash were varied, including suggestions of a bird strike or an internal explosion like an oxygen tank. However, the new findings from the Kazakh government's investigation shed a different light on the tragedy.

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The report, published on a Kazakh government website, described the external damage with numerous perforations visible across the tail section and fuselage. Photographs included in the report showed the port side of the plane punctured by what appeared to be shrapnel. This led experts to reconsider the cause of the crash, with many now pointing towards the possibility of the plane being hit by a missile or other anti-aircraft munition. Azerbaijan's President Ilham Aliyev had previously stated that the plane was damaged by an accidental shooting from the ground in Russia, although Moscow had not confirmed this claim. The new report adds weight to Aliyev's assertions, with an Azerbaijani government official revealing to Reuters that they possess a fragment of a Russian Pantsir-S missile, which had been extracted from the downed aircraft and identified through international expertise. This revelation was the first time Baku officially claimed to have physical evidence linking Russia to the incident.

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Russian President Vladimir Putin issued an apology to Aliyev for the "tragic incident" in Russian airspace but did not take direct responsibility for the plane being shot down. Instead, he mentioned that at the time of the crash, Ukrainian drones were targeting several cities in the region, and Russian air defenses were active. However, Russian officials have been reticent to confirm any direct involvement of their military systems in the civilian aircraft's destruction. The incident has sparked international concern and raised questions about the safety of civilian flights over conflict zones, especially where air defense systems are operational. The preliminary report from the investigation does not assign blame but focuses on understanding the sequence of events to prevent future mishaps. It was noted that the cockpit voice recorder captured sounds of impacts before the pilot reported a possible bird strike, followed by loss of control over the aircraft.

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The implications of this crash extend beyond the immediate tragedy. Azerbaijan and Kazakhstan have both set up commissions to delve deeper into the incident, with Azerbaijan involving international experts to assist in the investigation. The European Union Aviation Safety Agency also issued a safety bulletin, citing this case as a reason to reiterate warnings about civilian air traffic over Russian airspace. This disaster has not only claimed lives but has also put a spotlight on the complex interplay of civilian aviation with ongoing regional conflicts, the accountability of nations in such incidents, and the pressing need for international cooperation in air safety regulations. As investigations continue, the world watches closely, hoping for clarity, justice, and measures to ensure such an event does not repeat.

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